AIR SEALING

Your home and the areas within it are like an envelope. To maximize energy efficiency of your heating and cooling, the envelope must be sealed in a way that works with your insulation, air handling and filtration units as well as internal and external areas most susceptible to air leakages. Below are the areas we primarily focus on to ensure a well sealed home.

Attic Air Sealing

The attic is the place most susceptible to air leakage so this is the place to start.  Warm air is rising and leaving through many avenues like: top plates, electrical and plumbing penetrations, open chases around chimneys or plumbing, built in features like closets, cabinets, coves, and lastly can lights.  Most of these features can be sealed with a scientific eye and cans of sprayfoam.

Air Sealing the Walls

When dealing with a retrofit situation, it is often most effective to use the drywall as what we call the “pressure boundary.”  The pressure boundary is the line that separates the conditioned space from the unconditioned space.  With respect to the walls, the biggest bypasses are; the window and door moldings, electrical outlet/switches, and interior features like built-in cabinets and chimney hearths.  Exterior doors should also be handled here, by way of weather stripping and installing functioning thresholds.

Crawlspace Air Sealing

As warm air rises and exits from the top, cool air from below replaces it.  In the crawlspace we have mostly plumbing penetrations to seal.  There are often large holes around bath tub drains and the occasional electrical wiring.  Ducting penetrations are also significant.